Cardiovascular Disease: Causes, Symptoms and Care

Cardiovascular disease is a disease of the heart and blood vessels. It’s often due to plaque buildup in the lining of the blood vessels, which narrows them. Preferred Care at Home caregivers can help support a healthy lifestyle to combat this disease.

Causes and Risk Factors

Medical causes and risk factors for cardiovascular disease include:

High blood pressure

High blood cholesterol

Previous heart attacks

Coronary artery disease

Heart arrhythmias

Heart valve disease

Congenital heart defects

Inflammation of the heart muscle

Lifestyle-related causes and risk factors include:

Alcohol and drug abuse

Lack of exercise

Obesity

Diabetes

Stress

Symptoms and Signs

Cardiovascular disease can cause:

Shortness of breath

Fatigue

Persistent cough

Fluid buildup in your veins

Swelling of your feet, legs and ankles

Frequent urination at night

Weight gain due to fluid buildup

Chest pain

Loss of appetite

Indigestion

Swollen neck veins

Cold, sweaty skin

Restlessness, confusion, and decreased attention span and memory

Consequences

Cardiovascular disease can lead to:

Decreased circulation to your extremities

Congestive heart failure

Heart attack

Treatment

Your doctor may recommend any of the following:

Adopting a healthy diet

Diuretics to remove excess fluid

Medications

Surgical procedures

The main symptoms and warning signs of a heart attack are:

Chest pain:

Fullness or burning

Heaviness, pressure or squeezing

Tightness, discomfort or crushing

Pain spreading from the center of the chest:

Down one or both arms

Up to the neck, jaw, shoulders or back

Other:

Nausea, vomiting and/or indigestion

Anxiety or fear

Denial, refusing to admit that anything is wrong

Paleness, sweating, weakness or shortness of breath

How We Can Help Seniors With Cardiovascular Disease

Our trained, compassionate caregivers can encourage people with cardiovascular disease to lead a healthy lifestyle. This includes:

Participating in a medically supervised aerobic-exercise program

Quitting smoking

Controlling high blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes

Limiting consumption of alcohol and fluids

Eating a heart-healthy diet that’s low-fat and low-salt

Weighing daily to monitor fluid retention

For more information on how our caregivers can provide reliable and compassionate care for people with cardiovascular disease, please contact us today to experience the Preferred Care at Home difference.

Services may vary depending on the licensing of each Preferred Care at Home Franchise location. Each location is individually owned and responsible for controlling and managing day-to-day business operations.